Cox Charities Awards $530K to Arizona Nonprofits

80 Valley nonprofits benefit from grant distributions

Cox Charities has selected 80 Arizona nonprofit organizations to receive almost $530,000 in grant funding. UMOM New Days Centers and New Pathways for Youth are among those in metropolitan Phoenix. The majority of the funds came from the donations of Cox’s 3,200 Arizona employees.

Since the program’s inception in 1996, Cox Charities has awarded more than $7 million to local Arizona nonprofits that support youth and education.

UMOM New Day CentersEach night, 600 to 800 homeless and runaway youth do not have a safe place to sleep in Phoenix. Cox Charities is supporting UMOM New Day Centers to help end homelessness and create brighter futures for Maricopa County’s homeless youth. These vulnerable members of the community deserve the same stability and opportunities that other youth enjoy, but they face challenges that threaten their potential.

“Without intervention, homeless children and youth face a downward spiral of instability that threatens their potential to develop as healthy, vibrant members of our community,” says Melissa Steimer, chief development officer of UMOM New Day Centers. “The Cox Charities grant will help UMOM meet the increased need present through our operation of Tumbleweed’s programs. Grant funds will cover program expenses related to education and outings, youth residential support and staff training, and travel not covered by other funders.”

New Pathways for YouthArizona’s reading levels, graduation rates and young adult employment rates are among the lowest in the nation. Research indicates that youth living in high-risk situations who are exposed to new, constructive opportunities through mentoring are more able to set positive goals.

New Pathways for Youth’s Transformative Mentoring Program seals off the school-to-prison pipeline, developing the social, emotional and academic skills in youth needed to reach their full potential.

“This Cox Charities grant will support an evidence-based social emotional learning model for youth in our mentoring program,” says Marlo Apple, corporation and foundation grants manager for New Pathways for Youth. “The funds will be used to provide the supplies and materials to facilitate 36 life-skill-development workshops that will serve up to 500 youth in the coming year.”